What If?
by Emworm
Summary: What if the moment in the library became more than a moment?
1. Chapter 1

What If?

"Duty, Breach, Causation…" I trailed off, lost in my infuriating mental block which was not at all helped by the presence of my best friend and secret crush Dexter Thaler.

He was looking straight at me with those gorgeous eyes, contorting his features in mock frustration he curled up a post-it ball and yelled.

"Damages!" It missed.

"OH SHIT!" I laughed at myself which caused a rather studious person to project a _"SHHH" _in our direction. We were in the library, cramming at seven o' clock on a Tuesday night for a final, I was sure he didn't need the revision but, I was eternally grateful and internally screaming.

"I'm never going to get this!" I laughed and sighed at myself.

Suddenly, he had an idea pen ready he directed my gaze to the scrap of paper in front of me and leaned forward, so close, that I could almost breathe him in.

"Here, use a Mnemonic."

He beautifully scrawled and said "D B C D."

I smiled and had a quirky answer ready. "Deliver By Christmas Day."

Dexter smiled my favourite smile, the one where you could see the glint in his eye as well as getting the feeling that he could have you right then and there if he wanted to.

Sexy smile;

"Don't Blame Cameron Diaz." He replied mischievous humour dripping from every syllable causing me to buckle into fits of laughter.

"SHH." I heard again as I tried to compose myself. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's not even that funny!" I said still laughing.

Tears were starting to form as I finally calmed down and I couldn't help but, notice the look of pure joy and desire in his eyes.

He leaned forward and stroked my face delicately wiping away a stray tear that hadn't yet made its way down my cheek. His touch was so gentle, so foreign and yet so wanted.

"Rachel." He breathed pressing his for-head against mine as if asking for permission.

And then I did it. I kissed him.

Hard, fast and I instantly regretted it pulling away.

"I'm sorry I…" I start but, am silenced by him virtually lunging forward and capturing my lips. The world seems to stand still as I wrap my arms around his neck feeling his hair between my fingers as we part for breath and I let go ecstatically.

"I was going to ask you to dinner after finals." He says lovingly taking my hand and lacing it between his. "But, I can't wait that long."

"Hmm." I kiss him again which causes him to make a deep though somewhat restrained (given our environment,) moan in the back of his throat. "I have some Ramen Noodles and Veggies in the refrigerator…"

His eyes go wide with realisation at what I am suggesting. "At your dorm room?"

"Sophie's out with her boyfriend…" I take a deep breath and let go of his hand before I get up from my chair and whisper the next two words. "All night."

The books are borrowed, the pens replaceable this night is not. For once, (not counting the last five minutes of my life) I feel brave extending my arm like all those confident girls do in movies.

And then I feel it. His hand taking mine like a surge of electricity jolting through my spine.

He turns me and says "Looks like I'm spending the night with the woman I love."

"Looks like it." I tease before whispering "I love you too."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

We ran through the rain pausing on side-walks for searing kisses. Oh god I have never wanted someone so much in my entire existence.

"God Rachel." He hums into my neck pressing a sweet kiss there. He holds me close as I try to force his attention to my lips. We're so close to dorm, practically two minutes away warmth and salvation is there my bed is there, but, he won't break away.

"Dex," I stroke his face and kiss his lips soundly before breaking and dashing ahead of him to his amused shock. I want him to catch me.

"RACH! Ha, wait up!" He has a beautiful smile on his face like the sun, as I press my back to the door of our dorm turn the keys and wait.

He's with me in an instant draping his arms around me and kissing over and over until we stumble lazily into the halls and to my room. There are roughly eight girls who flutter about within the shared living quarters but, they rarely use their rooms too busy with their boyfriends to care, I was the only single girl.

Until now.

"I'm MMM. Sorry about the mess." I murmur, between kisses pushing away all the clothes and books that are on my bed till they scatter on the floor with a clatter. We have two beds, a desk and a wardrobe with an adjoining kitchen and bathroom with all the facilities for $150 a month.

"I don't care about that." He chuckles. "I love you. We could be in a shack and I would be happy."

I smile and lift my arms up so that he can peel my sweater of my body slowly letting it fall to the ground with a slip of his fingers.

I hook my legs around his as I lightly dig my nails into his back, tugging and nipping at his lips and neck.

"Shirt off please." I whisper sensually pleasantly aware that I am now being lowered onto my bed carefully with only my jeans in the way of him and me.

"This is not how I planned our night." He gasps trailing kisses down from my now free breasts to my inner thigh teasing the material down past my feet.

My underwear was pretty, virginal violet as if reserved for a husband on a wedding night. This feels like our wedding night

"Do you have a?" I ask awkwardly.

"Yes." "Not that I…"

"Oh nonono." "I'm on the pill. I just wanted to be sure." I wasn't naive, or a virgin (I'd only slept with two people) but, I'd heard too many horror stories of broken condoms and shattered relationships to take the risk.

"Baby, are you absolutely sure? If you're not ready I completely understand." He pulls me up to him and gazes into my eyes adoringly. Jesus, could he be any more attractive? None of my boyfriends had ever offered to stop before. God he was my boyfriend!

"I love you, I want you, I don't ever want to leave you." I gasp pressing desperate kisses to everywhere I can think of.

And then I made love with Dexter Thaler late into the night until, the sun peeked through the blinds. Perfect symmetry in motion.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Wow."

"That was… Wow!" Dexter exclaimed when he finally rolled off of me.

"Yeah," I exclaimed catching my breath, my skin was flushed and hot as we were wrapped in the sheets.

"Mmm." He caught my lips softly again before getting up to pee and then returning as I did. I gave him a longing look full of heat for him before I peed in record time. There was one extra advantage to this bathroom; it had a walk in shower.

"Dex…" I called tentatively, rocking on my toes sweetly. "Yes?" He placed his hands over his eyes in an effort to be gentlemanly as he reached the curves of my waist "blindly."

"Would you shower with me?" I whispered, still viewing the last twelve hours as the greatest fantasy I would ever have.

"I'm sorry what?" He asked teasingly already pressing kisses down my neck as I moaned into him only just managing to tangle my legs around him.

"Shower… Now." I virtually growled as he carried us for a few steps straight into the hard tile wall. Touching and kissing at leisure before I slowly led him into the cubicle with promise in my eyes.

The water was cold for a minute after it was turned on.

"Jesus!" We exclaimed in synchronicity laughing and placing kisses on lips, cheeks scraping my nails slowly against his tanned and toned back. Grabbing a shower scrunchie and squirting some Berry Bliss onto it I began to wash myself. I notice he's watching me intently, hair dripping he can't take it anymore and pins me to the wall taking the pink ball of exfoliation and rubbing it slowly over my breasts in circular motions.

"Oh!" I gasp. "Oh GOD."

"Dex."

He's painfully slow taking care to wash my legs and feet before moving up again. He smiles as I manage to take him again before cleaning it and repeating the same actions on him. I delicately smooth the 2 in 1 over his hair as he did for me but, I take a detour and press lips to his most intimate place. I have never had sex in the shower before, but, I swear we will be repeating this.

"All done?" I ask an hour later as we dry and wrap towels around ourselves before dressing in our old clothes.

"Yes," He says with a satisfied smile before dis-guarding the physical evidence of our love-making in the trashcan. (Which I swear, I'll dump out straight away!)

"I… love you." I say warmly heart full at the prospect of dating him and everything else that encompasses it.

"I wanna take you out-," He says rather excitedly, his eyes lighting up with sheer joy.

"Where?" I say even though, I don't care one little bit where we go.

"Central Park."

"I want to hold your hand in Central Park."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hmm." Dex sighed contentedly in my ear as his soft fingers held mine as we walked leisurely through the park.

"What?" I beamed grinning as I leant against him softly. "I'm holding your hand."

"You are."

We're together in Central Park on a glorious Saturday morning; there is hardly a soul in sight with a BLT sandwich and water having satisfied our need for nourishment. It was perfect.

Until-

"RACH!"

Darcy Rhone, my best friend in all her white Prada glory came bounding towards us.

"Honey-".Dex started worryingly "Remember I love you and we'll be fine." I managed to whisper before she made contact.

"Well, HOLY SHIT! Look at you!" She exaggerated highlighting my summer dress and straightened hair.

"Hey, Darce."

"Hey, Rachel White who's the hotty you've been hiding from me?"

Dex failed to hide his amusement as I brought him forward releasing my grip. "Darcy, this is Dexter Thaler my boyfriend… Dex this is Darcy my (Sister.)"

"The one you had the thing for ever since you started?"

I nod, highly embarrassed.

"Hi!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Dex says honestly

"What are you even doing here Darce?" I say now moving to embrace her. "Oh you know I wanted to see what my bestie was up to." She kissed my fore-head and with a wink said: "I approve."

"Thanks." I chuckled.

"Anyway, babe I gotta run. I'll text you later. I want details!"

"You won't get them." I sang returning to Dexter as she already began dashing away from us.

"That's what you think!"

"What-" Dex started perplexed at the bundle of personality present in one feisty woman.

"The Darcy Rhone Experience has now ended please raise the safety bar, vacate the ride and continue walking while your loved one fills you in on the last eighteen years of her life."

He took my in his hand again and we continued our stroll. "I've got all the time in the world for you." With a sweet kiss to his lips I started to believe in Ever After.

And then eight weeks later, two blue lines changed everything.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Rachel… Honey you have to tell him." My mother soothed. Ever since I'd found out I was expecting our baby I'd avoided Dex like the plague and sought sanctuary in my parent's house and midnight calls to Darcy.

He'd called everyday not buying my lame excuse that I was homesick after thankfully passing TORTS.

"What if he leaves me?" "I can handle him not wanting to be with me but, our child? How do I explain to our baby that Daddy didn't want to know them?"

"Has he ever given you the impression that he didn't want a family with you?" Dad chimes in as I sit at the table with my head in my hands.

"No, never. I just- we never." I sigh my dad understands in fact they have both been the most understanding parents I could ask for since I turned up a little over a month ago with a tiny bump and sobbing for the man that I ached for.

They said they would back me whatever but, the smile on their faces when I announced that I was keeping the baby was unlike anything I had ever seen.

"It's all such a mess. I left him a freaking note! Told him to forget about me and find somebody new."

"He hasn't."

"Mom- What are you talking about?"

The look of guilt crosses her face. "I spoke to him last night and told him you were here he's coming baby. He's coming to see you today."

What. "Did you tell him about?"

"No. I just said that it was important he see you."

I breathe heavily in and out as they both kiss my fore-head "Whatever happens Rach we'll be here."

Two hours later my parents have left the house for a few hours on my plea when the bell rings. Blind panic or maternal instinct but, I cannot help the rub of my belly that inevitably happens as I open the door and am faced by Dex.

"Rachel." He looks at me like I've risen from the dead. "Hi." I manage tearfully, before stammering "You better come in.""Uh- My parents are out would you like something to drink?" My manners kick in as he stands opposite me in the room that has been unchanged since we moved here.

"No. No Rachel I wanna know why the HELL you've been ignoring my calls and texts for over a month and why you never came back after break. Hell, I found out from your mother that you'd deferred and you needed to see me. Because it was important."

He looks great if emotionally distressed in my favourite cashmere sweater and cologne my hormones are going crazy. Everything it's just too much.

"Dex-"

His expression softens as he sees that I have genuinely missed him that I never stopped.

"I never stopped loving you." I say when he warmly embraces me.

"Then why?" He says before placing almost primal kisses on my lips they are hard, desperate and full of love. "Because, I'm pregnant."

He pulls away from me and for a moment I fear my nightmares have come true.

"I get it. If you need time and space and I'm sorry I kept this from you but, I'm ready for this baby. I feel it growing every-day and I love it." "I'm in love with you and our baby I just thought you deserved the truth before…."

"Before I what?" "Never in a million years will I leave your side Rachel White. I'm crazy about you. And the baby… It's everything. You're everything."

"Really?"

"We can do this just promise me you won't ever leave me again."

"Pinky swear." Right then he placed a loving kiss on my tummy and said the two most perfect words. "Hello baby."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Is that the last box?" I asked, as my very tired boyfriend bought the last of my things into and I can't believe I'm saying this, OUR APARTMENT.

Four months, several compromises on both sides and one completely re-thought degree later and I finally find myself contentedly perched on our couch.

"The last one." He smirks wildly, seeming content just to drop it down in the spare bedroom and stare at me; stretched out and happy across the blue cotton. I did help, I swear, I guess the baby just zapped my energy levels at little sooner than I anticipated.

"Do you have any idea how cute you are when you're tired?" Dex says warmly making his way over, sitting and then stroking my face til I sigh.

"Not a clue. Please, feel free to tell me."

"Okay," He chuckles. "I love the way your nose crinkles when you dream. You get this smile on your face and I have to stop myself from kissing you awake."

"Hmm Like this?" I say crinkling my nose in the exact way he's talking about but, adding a light brush of my lips which he deepens as I pull him so that he's comfortably on top of me. I figured it would be the last time that we could be this spontaneous for a while, what with our jellybean growing away.

"Yeah." He presses small kisses on my lips and moves down until his lips reach my womb tenderly.

"Well, I love how you talk to her at night when you think I'm asleep."

"You hear me?" Dex says, refocusing his attention, eyes warm and lovingly fixed on mine

"Your voice is soothing." I shrug. "I feel safe and I adore how much you love us both already."

He smiles and goes for my neck sucking lightly til I moan his name in a whisper.

"Rachel." He says a little lost in pleasure as I tease my sweater off a moment later while tugging at his lips.

"We'll be careful." I say huskily in his ear. "Besides, we've spent the last few weeks at your parent's place and we couldn't exactly sneak around."

"No." He says gently scooping me up in his arms. Now wonderfully shirtless he responds to my kisses as we head to the bedroom.

"It sucked." I emphasised. "I love your mom and I'm getting there with your dad but, babe…"

"It sucked." He mimicked before proceeding to blow that statement right out of the water.

"Well, I can confidently say. That did not suck." Kissing him lightly as we are comfortably wrapped in each- other's arms new sheets and all breathing heavily.

"Ha. C'mere." He moves over me and kisses me over and over until, I giggle and break.

"To moving in."

"To our family."

"To the future." He pecks already looking like he's got a plan in his mind that I'm sure I will be privy to sooner or later.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Happy Birthday Daddy." I say balancing a six-month old Julia on my hip as we entered Dex's office. He'd worked himself up the ranks at Clyde &amp; Son's and we had finally signed the dotted line on a new house in upstate New York, life is good,

Looking up from a sea of papers, he smiles and gets up instantly from his desk walking over to meet us in the centre of the room. Julia babbles and smiles as he kisses her cheek. She has little locks of blonde-brunette hair that seem to get darker as the weeks pass and our smiles but, everything else? Is Dexter.

"Mmm. Thank you." He says after giving me a long kiss. "Now, how are my two favourite girls in the entire world today?"

"We're good!" I emphasise and fill him in on our morning of stories, a phone call from each of his parents and checks from them and mine.

"I would have preferred a visit when Julia was born."

"He's busy apparently, but, your mother will be over next weekend." That made him smile. He could always count on his mother to play an active role in our family.

His dad? Was still an ASS.

"So how was your day?"

"It just got a million times better about three minutes ago." He smirked, kissing me softly and then scooping Julie up blowing raspberries on her stomach as she giggled heartily.

"This isn't the outfit she was wearing when I left."

"Oh, Dex, don't you know that painting yourself with baby food is way more enjoyable than eating it?"

"Bad?"

"Everywhere."

It took one bath, two diaper changes and a whole nap-time to get the kitchen clean again. Our child has both a remarkable aim and impeccably inappropriate timing with her poops.

"So, why are you here?" He asked intrigued, looking damn hot in the discounted Armani I managed to grab.

"We came to steal you away for the afternoon. Can you squeeze us in?"

"Are you kidding? OOH!" He said bouncing Julia steadily as she rested against him. "Lead the way Mrs Thaler."

That's right! We got married three months ago. With our families and Julia as flower-girl.

That's not even the best part Ethan and Darcy came. Together!

Small world, huh?

**So sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've been so wonderfully busy. x**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Mmm. That is yummy Julia." Dexter emphasised hilariously "taking one for the team" by eating the chocolate ice-cream cone she and him had been sharing. She was on my knee, babbling with mess all over her face while Dex had his arm around me.

"I'm sorry this isn't more special." I murmured, I had honestly tried to get a family meal organised but, with work, Julia and Dex asking me why Darcy wanted to know how much per head at Rouge (which, I managed to dodge spectacularly by subtly flashing my bra. Sex works!) I haven't had the time.

"Are you kidding?" "I haven't had ice-cream for dinner since I was five. Being here- with you- and her, that's all I could ever have asked for."

"Mmm. Happy Birthday Honey." I said through my kiss, stroking his cheek as he kissed my eyelids causing me to sigh happily.

"Ha. I love you." He chuckled "And oh! You!" He said as Julia crawled into his lap and he held us close. Julia laughed heartily and to the onlookers in Madison Park we were the perfect little family.

"Thank you for today." Dex says, as he snuggles into me when we are in bed.

"Anytime, Thaler." Beaming, I feel him kiss me, turn me so that I gasp and end up flat on my back. He catches my lips and leaves a trail of kisses right down to my core.

"Dex-"

It's his birthday yet he's the one making me feel, making me feel oh I can't articulate!

"I love you." He murmurs in my ear.

"I love you." I respond pushing myself up to kiss him eagerly, he kisses me back pulling me gently against him.

He stops for a moment to get protection but, he's soon back to me in wonderful time.

It's magic.

Being with him is magic.


End file.
